Full page of opening night photos in the ‘Pop Life’ section of the new issue of JUXTAPOZ for our ‘RAIZ’ exhibition at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, California. New issue now on news stands worldwide.
All exhibitions are on view now through March 17, 2023 at:
Thinkspace Projects is excited to partner with our friends from Tlaloc Studios and the California Cowboys Collective to present the ‘RAIZ‘ group exhibition as the focal point of our ‘NEXUS IV‘ event with the prestigious Brand Library & Art Center in beautiful Glendale, California.
Alongside ‘RAIZ’ we are presenting five incredible solo exhibitions from the likes of Anthony Clarkson, Ken Flewellyn, Matthew Grabelsky, Anthony Hurd, and Cody Jimenez.
Opening Reception: Saturday, January 21, 4-10pm
DJs, Car & Bike Clubs, Live Painting, Video Projections, Amazing Food, Cash Bar & more!
Always in pursuit of uniting and elevating the New Contemporary Art community, Thinkspace Projects teams up with Tlaloc Studios and the California Cowboys Collective to present ‘RAIZ’, an all day blowout event to mark the opening of the two month art show at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, California.
With 60 artists in the group show alone, the extravaganza is sure to be diverse and varied, bringing universal appeal from so many incredible contributors. With a focus on local Los Angeles based artists, the lineup is as impressive as it is varied, including new work from many of the hottest names in the LA scene. Solo shows from Anthony Clarkson, Ken Flewellyn, Matthew Grabelsky, Anthony Hurd, and Cody Jimenez round out the gallery exhibits, filling the walls with innovative and genre-blending pieces across mediums.
It’s not just the walls inside the Art Center, but the walls inside the hallways of the Brand itself as well that are being transformed for this event, with site-specific murals from Brek, LoveYoDreams, and Mr. B Baby adorning the entry hallway area and adjoining courtyard area.
The surrounding grounds themselves will also be bursting with compelling content, from the food provided by Zavalas Pies, Sweet Life LA, and Bad Jimmy’s to the car and bike clubs in the parking lot with Cabrones Car Club, Ghetto Car Club, and Bikes On The Blvd. That’s not all that is happening for the opening event, so be sure to keep an eye out for local artisans painting live around the grounds alongside video projections, a cash bar and live DJs providing entertainment all of the afternoon and into the evening hours.
‘RAIZ’ opens on Saturday, January 21 with a reception from 4PM to 10PM. The exhibits will remain on view until March 17 at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, California.
Dutch artist Leon Keer’s anamorphic paintings hung in the Brand Library last year for NEXUS III, and are currently on view for our inaugural exhibition Aloha, Mr.Hand. Keer comments on society, cultural issues, and the environment by creating narratives with familiar objects that force us to re-examine how we interpret the world around us. Below is our interview with Keer discussing the inspiration behind his most recent pieces with us, getting into a creative flow, and Funky Fridays.
What was the inspiration behind the body of work that will be showing at the Brand Library & Art Center?
The freedom of speech is the most important right in our constitution, the way demonstraters are being chased and hammered down in many countries is an annoyance for me. Also, I find the abuse of power a tricky issue. You see it on the street on a small scale. You see it on large scale in political decisions, both in developed and underdeveloped countries. I am not a speaker, but I feel inspired to make a visual story about the abuse of power. When a certain group of people is demonized, I denounce the situation.
Do you have any pre-studio rituals that help you get into a creative flow?
I mostly travel by bike to the studio. Takes me half an hour in where I soak in all the energy around me. That’s what I also do when I am abroad. I scout the neighborhood to find the energy for the next work
When you were working on this body of work, what were you listening to in the background? Do you have a different soundtrack for the various stages of the creative process?
There is a variety of music I listen to. The broadcasting station I listen to has a variety of music, games and interviews. I like this variety as I get bored very fast if I listen to too much of the same music.
One program on that radio station that I like most is ‘funky friday’ which will bring you to the smooth funky music of the early 90 ties.
Is there an artist or piece of work that has made a significant impact on you? Has that work influenced your own artistic voice/style?
I really love the work of Leandro Erlich. The grandness of his work and the way he is putting the spectators to another dimension of reality.I love the work of Leandro Erlich. The grandness of his work and the way he is putting the spectators to another dimension of reality are very inspiring
What piece challenged you most in this body of work, and why?
The piece Withered Bauhinia was most challenging to make. The background tells the story that many Hong Kong people took to the streets to protest against the ruling power for the sake of democracy. People are left with the choice of either staying home and keeping their opinions to themselves, or attending an unauthorized protest and risking police violence, judgment, and imprisonment. To underline this thought of oppression makes me humble towards these protesters and obliges me to approach the situation with honor and respect.
What do you think will be said about the New Contemporary Art Movement in 100 years?
An era of reflections of the people’s voice.
Schedule a visit to see Leon Keer’s work and the other talented artists in “Aloha, Mr. Hand” here. Masks required!
Technically self-taught, Amy Sol has spent many years perfecting her own mixed pigments and materials. Known for a distinctive palette with a subtle ghostly cast, her compositions possess poetically measured images that invoke melancholic pause in spite of their idyllic beauty and calm, feeling at times like the magic of fairytale tempered by the ambivalence of the adult.
What was the inspiration behind the body of work that will be showing at the Brand Library & Art Center?
I painted these works over the summertime of 2020 during the pandemic. I approached these pieces as a form of meditation & introspective peace I was searching for at the time. The portraits for instance, are focused on medicinal plants I had as reference in my studio with a very limited colored palette. This allowed my mind to wander and relax a bit while I got lost in the small details. I had to look inwards to find calm during times when I could not find it in the outside world. It was my goal to communicate this with each of the paintings.
Do you have any pre-studio rituals that help you get into a creative flow?
I always drink tea and try to go on a walk before I work. I’m lucky to live in a pretty beautiful area where there are abundant trees and plantlife to look at.
It’s was a challenge to stay free of distractions during some of the stranger times this year. I found that if I went straight to work and stayed away from my phone a bit, it helped me maintain a flow state necessary to paint.
When you were working on this body of work, what were you listening to in the background?
I listened to a lot of new music I found online, I really enjoyed instrumental lo fi and wavy music playlists just to have going in the background. I spent more time with my windows open just hearing bird sounds as well. I have a broad taste in music, it just depends on the mood and vibe of the moment!!
When I start sketching, I definitely go for music to help with the creative flow. As things start to get technical and tedious I’ll put on an audio book or podcast to keep myself entertained.
Is there an artist or piece of work that has made a significant impact on you?
Many many, but off the top of my head I saw some Eyvind Earle originals at an art fair while I was a teenager. These works definitely sparked something in me and kind of woke me up to the possibilities.
Has that work influenced your own artistic voice/style?
Sure, I do think his work inspired me to explore and experiment to find a way to uniquely communicate my love of nature. I also loved animation and his art was a sort of bridge from illustration to painting mixed with a strong visual language he made his own, I found all of that intriguing and inspiring.
What piece challenged you most in this body of work, and why?
I think the painting Biome was a challenge to paint because I was trying to express a very strong feeling I was dealing with. It was challenging to synthesize this feeling into one simple and emotionally nuanced portrait but that was my goal.
This piece started when I was experiencing some old emotions stirring up from my past trauma dealing with severe pneumonia. That trauma sort of re awakened because of this pandemic. This feeling blended into a concept, the reality of interconnectedness of humans and nature and the need to recognize vulnerability as awareness not weakness.
I started off sketching mycelium-like forms to represent the lungs of the subject. The salamander is a symbol of vulnerability & vitality. I choose an Amphibian because they are sensitive creatures being both land and water borne. Because of this, they are considered accurate indicators of the health of the environment they dwell in.
Her floating head in the darkness sort of reflects this idea that because our minds & egos are all encompassing to our own human experiences, we sometimes forget how interconnected we are to other living things.
This piece really helped me put some closure on my past experiences & navigate some unresolved emotions.
What do you think will be said about the New Contemporary Art Movement in 100 years?
I hope it will be looked back upon as a time of positive & progressive transformation in the psyche of humans and our push towards a better future. Many artists make art to send messages about what we care about & we communicate what matters most to humanity across a broad spectrum.
Visit https://players.cupix.com/p/r6FRkjOZ for a self-guided virtual tour of Nexus III featuring a solo exhibition from Amy Sol at the Brand Library & Art Center .
The Brand Library & Art Center and Thinkspace Projects are pleased to present Nexus III, showcasing a curated selection of international artists belonging to the New Contemporary Art Movement. This special exhibition will include mini solo shows from Yosuke Ueno, The Perez Bros, Amy Sol, Leon Keer, Reen Barrera and Uriginal (aka Uri Martinez).
Please enjoy a photo tour through the exhibition below.
